Master Mentor

What four entrepreneurs learned from working side by side with JeffBezos.

- J.J. Mccorvey

Amazon has grown into the largest internet retailer in the world; it’s home to an Oscar- and Emmy-winning production studio; its subscription service, Amazon Prime, reached 90 million members last year (up from 58 million in 2016); and it’s made founder Jeff Bezos one of the richest men on the planet. This success alone—to see opportunities where others haven’t, and move into them faster than others can—makes him one of the most daring entrepreneurs of all time. But alongside that, Bezos has proven himself adept at taking on totally unexpected challenges. Case in point: Last year’s purchase of Whole Foods markets and his stewardship of The Washington Post.

In sum, Bezos doesn’t just buy a company—he uses it to rethink an industry. To understand how his impact spreads beyond his own operation, we asked four Amazon alumni—all of whom now head up their own companies—to share the priceless lessons learned from the boldest man they know.

LESSON 1 

Don’t worry about the money.